Like Leaves from the Vine
by Luna Locura
Summary: A series of Zutara drabbles, which should be enough to make you read this. Just random bits of Zutara-ness, epic moments in their would-be relationship. Themes courtesy of cutekittyichigo on deviantart.
1. Honor

Hey, guys:)) Zutara is my favorite ship ever, aside from Longerbee:)) I made this for us, the Zutarians, who never had our thirst properly quenched:)) The prompts are courtesy of cutekittyichigo on deviantart. Please, enjoy:))

I don't own A:TLA, sadly, but I'll live:))

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><p>Honour.<p>

Zuko sighed deeply through his nose. The ironclad ship sliced through the water, the icy mist spraying against his face. He pushed his sooty black hair out of his eyes and sighed again. It had been three and a half years since his father had banished him, and Zuko had given up on believing that this day would ever come. He was returning home. Back to the place where he was born and raised, the place he was familiar with. This didn't bring him joy.

_Ah, but you know why it doesn't…_His brain whispered.

He shoved the thought away for the millionth time, but it kept returning like a pesky insect. In the catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se, he felt that whatever honor he actually possessed had been lost. All he could see in his mind's eye was the betrayal in the eyes of Katara and his Uncle.

Katara. Her bright blue eyes meeting his as she offered to heal his scar. He searched those eyes relentlessly, looking for any sign that she was taunting him, but all he could find in those clear pools was kindness. She had touched his scar- the first person to do that besides the doctor- her cool tanned fingers running over the skin there. His eyes met hers again, expecting revulsion, but finding only concern. Her fingers found his in the glowing green light and he didn't even look at her eyes this time, learning all he needed to from the gentle pressure on his palm. Katara had honor. Honor that shone through even when facing danger, honor that shone when she fought. She never raised her hand to deliver the first blow. She had maintained honor and loyalty ubiquitously, and Zuko felt like scum. He had betrayed her, and for the first time in months, he questioned his honor. He had always felt like a disgrace because he refused to fight his father, and he ad thought that _that_ was how he lost his honor. Only recently had his Uncle managed to convince Zuko that he had never really lost it. Honor is a person's sense of morality, their sense of right and wrong. And standing on the bow of his sister's ship, with the Avatar dead and his Uncle imprisoned, Zuko felt morally wrong indeed.

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><p>So didya like it? Please feel free to review, I'm not scared. :)<p> 


	2. Yin and Yang

So y'all liked the last chapter:)) It was sorta angsty, but thanks for sticking through:))

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><p>Yin and Yang.<p>

_Polar opposites, that's what they were. Day and night, dark and light, always different but always the same. Never stopping but never moving, the stars all singing their names…_

The quick blasts of flames tickled her skin with fiery fingers as she danced away from them. Her sparkling blue eyes were intent on her target as she moved forward, the water she used as a weapon wrapped around her torso. As they drew closer to each other they abandoned their respective elements, opting instead for hand-to-hand combat. To anyone looking on, it would appear that they were dancing, the lunges and pirouettes perfectly synchronized. When they were close enough to each other that they could see the sweat glistening on their opponents' brow, the fight increased in tempo. The duo's movements became blurred as the dance moved into its final steps, and they came to an abrupt halt. Her right fist was caught by his left hand, his right hand caught by her left. They dropped their arms to their sides, panting. The group of teens behind them clapped excitedly.

Katara stood on her tiptoes and kissed Zuko on the cheek.

"We haven't beaten each other yet," she laughed.

He smiled. "That's because I know you like I know the sun."

Her rosy lips upturned in a smile to match his own. "And I know you like I know the moon."

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><p>Yeah, yeah, I know... Epic fluff, yadada, but this plot bunny was eating me alive, so... at least it was Zutara;))<p> 


	3. Complicated

Hey, y'all:)) Chapter three, lovelies:)) I LOVE this one, but the writer's block was kicking my butt:))

Special thanks to SnoopyGirl213 for being my constant reviewer:))

Don't own A:TLA, if I did, Zutara would exist:)) Without further adieu, enjoy!

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><p>Complicated.<p>

Suki looked up curiously as Zuko shuffled over to where she stood. He fiddled with the sash on his robe like it was the most interesting thing in the world, and Suki had to clear her throat twice to get his attention. When he finally looked at her, she was surprised to see that his face was tinged red.

"What is it, Zuko?"

If possible, his ears turned an even deeper shade of red. "Uh…I was wondering…uhm, well, I was wondering…You see, I like this girl, and you're a girl, and I was sort of wondering how I could impress her."

Suki just stared at him, openmouthed.

He hurried to continue. "You know what, never mind. I'm sorry I even asked. I'll just…go do some paperwork or something. Maybe practice-" He was cut off by Suki putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Girls like when you give them candy or flowers. You could even write her some poetry. Something romantic."

He nodded, and then did a very un-Zuko-like thing. He smiled. Not one of his moody, I-hate-the-world smiles, but a full-blown my-cheeks-are-about-to-fall-off smile. The teenagers on the floor all tensed up in shock (except for Toph, who immediately demanded to know why everybody's heartbeats sped up.) Zuko jogged out of the room, already planning on how to woo Katara.

A fidgety Zuko peeked out from behind a vase of fire lilies. In his hands he clutched a bouquet of cherry blossoms, fresh from the tree outside the kitchen door. Katara's room was just down the hall, and Zuko had made sure that she would be out with the gang. He said that he had paperwork, and they all believed him. As soon as Appa was a fluffy speck in the distance, Zuko rushed into action. Twelve minutes and a mouthful of leaves later, he was outside of Katara's door, hiding in a plant. Bracing himself, he dashed to her door, opening it quickly and slipping through without a moment's hesitation. He dropped the flowers on her bed and ran out of the room, feeling extremely proud of himself.

It wasn't an hour later when he was called to the infirmary. Word had been sent to him that Katara was unwell, and he practically tripped over himself getting to the door. A blur of blue flew at him and he found himself being drug along by Sokka, who was complaining loudly about stupid blossoms and how whoever did this should have their fingers cut off.

Zuko's eyes widened. Blossoms? Oh, no…

Oh, yes. A blotchy, watery-eyed Katara looked up from her place on the bed. She wiped her nose with her sleeve and smiled.

"Hiya, Zuko."

Said Fire Lord mentally facepalmed. Leave it to him to put the only flowers in the _world_ Katara was allergic to on her _bed_. While Sokka was ranting, the red-clad figure silently slipped out the door and ran down the hallway.

Zuko looked down at the crumpled to-do list in his hands. The black ink winked at him mockingly, their words sounding stupid even to him.

_How to woo Katara._

_1. Flowers. _**FAILURE. **

_2. Candy._

He honestly considered torching the paper and living as a spinster the rest of his life, if only for a split second. Zuko shook his head. He'd rather see _The Boy in the Iceberg_ for six days straight. He picked up the silvery box off his dresser. Zuko knew for a fact that she wasn't allergic to fire flakes. He walked briskly to her room- a.k.a: scene of crime- and put the box of candy gently in front of her door, tiptoeing away quietly. The Fire Lord ducked behind a corner and peeked around the edge, watching in anticipation as Katara stepped out of her room. Everything went into slow motion as she slipped on the tin container in front of her, and he could only watch in terror as she fell forward and banged her face on a table. He ran over to her as fast as he could and helped her up. Her hand was pressed to her mouth and nose, and Zuko could already see the blood seeping through her fingers.

"_Oh_, Agni," he sighed.

"What in the name of _La_ did I slip on?" She replied, but instead it sounded more like, "Wha' innanama La didda shlip on?"

"Uh, nothing…" Zuko mumbled as he kicked the candy away. "Let's get you to the infirmary."

Zuko kicked a pile of pebbles and they skittered across the garden pathway. He was grumbling to himself about his failures at winning Katara's affection, and he hadn't realized that he had an audience.

"Stupid, just stupid. That's what I am. What girl in her right mind would like a guy who seriously wounded her _twice_ in one week? First I leave her flowers that make her swell up like a stomped-on monkey-toad, then I trip her with stupid fire flakes! She'll never like me!" Zuko punched out a burst of flames and growled.

"I won't if you keep trying to light me on fire, that's for sure."

Zuko's eyes widened as Katara walked around the bend in the path, her hair in two simple braids.

"You, um…heard all of that? I mean, because I understand if you don't feel the same way, I did sort of-"

She cut him off with a laugh. "Zuko, relax. How would you like to go down to the carnival with me tonight? But promise me you won't get me flowers or chocolate."

He nodded. "No flowers or chocolate."

From that day on, Zuko avoided cherry blossoms and candy like the plague.


	4. Emotions

Here we go, everybody! The prompt for this one is emotions, and the emotion is despair. Kind of angsty, so be warned! Enjoy! :D

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><p>Emotions.<p>

Zuko thought he had experienced enough despair to last a lifetime, and that kind of complete and utter loss of your soul was something he never wanted to go through again. He had seen it from the bow of his ship as he sailed away from the flaming chaos he created. He had felt it while living as a refugee, huddled in a small space with hundreds of others whose eyes had lost their shine. But he never truly_ understood_ despair until the war was over. He was meandering through the palace gardens when a strangled sob pierced the autumn air. Quiet, familiar wails warbled through the garden and he followed, his pace and heart quickening with each step he took. He found her by the east wall, and his heart lurched at the sight. A pair of hook-swords, the points deep in the dirt, glinted in the afternoon light. Next to them, curled into a tiny ball of blue, was his Katara. His sharp intake of breath brought her watery eyes up to meet his and she burst into tears again. Zuko didn't say a word, instead he walked over and pulled her to his chest. Her fingers knotted into his tunic and she cried, her pitiful warbles muffled in the silk and her tears leaking into his collar. As the shadows grew longer Katara's words became clearer, and he was able to pick out enough to understand what was ripping her beautiful heart to shreds.

It was the day she met her Jet, and Jet was gone.

_Jet._ Zuko puzzled over the name, and got flashes of his time in Ba Sing Se. A shaggy-haired earth-kingdom orphan, a piece of hay hanging out of his mouth. Two wingmen, Longshot and Smellerbee, handy with weapons and attitudes to boot. A temper and a penchant for vengeance. _A pair of hook-swords, identical to the ones his Katara was weeping over._

His fists tightened in the material of her sky-blue tunic. His Katara was in love with the boy that tried to kill him. The boy that was put in prison because of a fight with a fire-nation prince. The boy that died in a war that had taken everything from him.

Katara despaired over a boy in despair, and the irony of that situation alone was what made his decision.

So Zuko did all that Zuko could do, and pulled her closer. He couldn't empathize, but he would sympathize and share her pain. If she wasn't alone in her pain, maybe she could heal.

He looked down at her face. Her eyes were red and watery, and her eyelashes were glued together with tears. Her nose was running and blood pooled in her lips. To anyone else she would have looked a mess, but to Zuko, she was a beautiful disaster.

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><p>Did you like it? Don't be afraid to review! :D<p> 


	5. Conversations

*Sigh* I love Zutara, but if I could I'd steal Zuko. He's so angsty and Zuko-y:)

...Anyways, on with the show!

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><p>Conversations.<p>

Fire Lord Zuko sat stiff-backed and regal at a council meeting. Surrounding him was a sea of dignitaries, all dressed in an array of red, blue, and green. Skirmishes on the eastern border of the Earth Kingdom demanded immediate global attention. The attacks were becoming increasingly violent, not to mention that they were aimed at innocent coastal villages. Witnesses revealed that the group responsible was a ragtag band of rebel miscreants, who were apparently not satisfied with the outcome of the war. The towns attacked were Fire Nation fishing colonies, and even though no troops were even encamped in the immediate area, the vigilantes still deemed them significant enough to pillage and destroy. Many of his subjects were currently homeless, and seeing that villages couldn't be rebuilt overnight, housing them was proving to be extremely difficult. He felt his brow knot, and his palms tickled with the need to firebend. Zuko sighed through his nose, trying to push the frustration out of his mind. Frustration clouded reason.

"Excuse me?" A soft voice asked from his side. His eyes shifted to his left. Katara sat cross-legged on a beaded cushion, her arms and legs tucked neatly into the folds of her silky white robe. Her shiny black hair was pulled up and away from her face in an intricate maze of braids, the rest flowing freely down her back. (A/N: pic on profile.) She cleared her throat.

"Excuse me?" The second time she tried everyone looked up at her from their previous bickering.

"This is just a suggestion, but what if we temporarily housed the refugees in the southern vacation homes? They're not in use at this time of year due to the weather, but they would provide comfortable accommodations for the few months it will take to return the villages back to order."

Zuko was proud of her suggestion. She had quite a mind for strategy, and a quiet sharpness that left you grasping for words.

"That's preposterous! Those vacation homes are strictly for use of the nobles! And, my lady, I believe those are customs you are not- erm- familiar with." The delegate that spoke was a Fire Nation ambassador, a yes-man to any Fire Nation noble higher than him in rank.

Zuko's eyes flitted back to where Katara sat, wide-eyed and incredulous. He saw her crystal blue eyes narrow infinitesimally and he gulped, knowing what it felt like to be the recipient of that look. He stayed watching her as she stood up calmly and smoothed her robes, taking a moment to tidy herself. He wondered, not for the first time, what was running through her mind. Zuko and the rest of the delegates watched in silence and shock as she stepped up onto the table and made her way to where the ambassador sat. The man was forced to look up at her, and Zuko saw the already wavering determination in his gaze.

Her words were but a whisper, and the fire lord had to strain to catch them. "Are you looking up at my face now?"

The man nodded, confused. Katara only smiled. "Now we're clear on where I rank compared to you." A few laughs were pressed into sleeves, but it was obvious that she wasn't finished.

Katara spoke louder this time. "I assure you, I'm extremely familiar with the customs of the Fire Nation. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall being one of the few people trusted with the responsibility of reverting the Fire Nation back to its original glory, alongside Fire Lord Zuko himself." She paused to breathe. "Were you aware that the regulation that you so _diplomatically_ pointed out to me was annulled a few months prior to this meeting, due to the fact that it was established on totalitarian principles? I didn't think so." When she was finished she walked calmly back to her seat and lowered herself onto the cushion. Zuko leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her temple.

"I'm pretty sure he didn't understand half of the words you threw at him. The poor dolt is probably still trying to figure out what in the name of Agni totalitarian means."

A smile graced her lips and she kissed his cheek. "Which is exactly why I'm glad that I'm engaged to a man that can _read_."

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><p>Just a bit of Katara word-bashing an idiot:) Then some Zutara at the end. So, review, review, review!<p> 


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